Best Activities in Willamette Valley
From hiking, biking, and birding to cycling, there are plenty of activities around the beautiful hills and vineyards of Willamette for when you need a break or to offset all the eating and drinking. If you’re looking for festivals, Willamette hosts some of the country’s more offbeat and enjoyable events each summer.
Cyclists on McMinnville's main street. Courtesy of Visit McMinnville.
Move Your Feet: Go Hiking
The best way to experience the land beneath the vines is by foot, and the Willamette’s core wine region offers several low-impact trails worth exploring.
- Miller Woods (McMinnville): Located three miles west of McMinnville, Miller Woods is a 130-acre conservation area featuring a 4.16-mile Outer Loop trail.
- Rotary Nature Preserve at Tice Woods: (McMinnville): Think ponds, wetlands, and upland forests, with approximately one mile of soft-surface trails and boardwalks.
- Bald Peak State Scenic Viewpoint: (near Newberg): Situated atop the Chehalem Mountains, this 26-acre park offers short trails with panoramic views.
- Wine Hiking Experiences: Several Willamette Valley wineries offer “wine hiking” experiences, where visitors can enjoy guided or self-guided walks through vineyards.
Trail through lush green scenery at Miller Woods. Courtesy of Visit McMinnville.
Get Cycling
The region’s flat roadways and gentle hills are made for cycling. Here are several options for getting on a bike, whether between wineries or on a day off from tasting.
- Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway: Think peaceful rides through vineyard-lined hillsides.
- Mac Bike Rentals (McMinnville): Offers e-bikes and hybrid bikes with suggested self-guided loops connecting nearby tasting rooms, parks, and countryside lanes.
- Red Barn Rides (based in Dayton): Delivers bikes directly to your accommodations and maps custom wine-tasting routes on quiet farm roads.
Cyclists on the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway. Courtesy of Natalie Starr.
Wine Region Festivals
Queer Wine Fest: Founded in 2022, Queer Wine Fest is the first LGBTQI2S+ wine event in the U.S. Held in June at Remy Wines, 20 wineries gather with live music.
AAPI Food & Wine Fest: Held in May at Stoller Family Estate, this festival celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions to Oregon’s food and wine scene.
Queer and AAPI Wine Fests highlight diversity. Courtesy of Cheryl Juetten and Cho Vineyards.
Wine Region Festivals
Oregon Truffle Festival: Running between January and March, this festival celebrates Oregon’s native truffles with events like truffle hunts, wine pairings, and gourmet dinners.
Alt Wine Fest: In August at The Old Schoolhouse, Alt Wine Fest showcases 100 wines from 30 winemakers, focusing on lesser-known grape varieties beyond Pinot Noir.
Truffle and Alt Wine Fest spotlight local flavors. Courtesy of Kathryn Elsesser and Cheryl Juetten.
Values-Driven Wine Trails
The Willamette Valley Wineries Association offers curated lists to help visitors find wineries that align with their values or interests. For example, dedicated links are available for sustainably focused wineries, B Corp-certified producers, LGBTQIA+-owned businesses, BIPOC-owned wineries, and tasting experiences in different languages.
